We use direct actions to interrupt the status quo and bring awareness to key issues and different forms of state violence affecting the root causes of the plight of black and brown people around the world.,

We stand against the many forms of state violence: police killings, mass incarceration, poverty and others. We stand for justice for Tony Robinson and ALL Black lives lost at the hands of the state. We stand for community and self determination. We will not stop until we are free.

This event, presented by the ACLU, will give important updates on campaigns like #CloseMSDF (the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility), The Milwaukee Police: Community Accountability Initiatives, and Lincoln Hills — Bring ‘em Home. For more info, click here.

EEWI WebinarFriday, June 22 at 11:30am - Online

This online meeting will allow you to help build the strategic vision and outline paid leadership roles for Economic Empowerment Wisconsin (EEWI), a collaborative initiative supporting entrepreneurs of color. For more info, click here.

This evening, Centro Hispano will feature documentary filmmaker Phillip Rodriguez and his film, The Rise and Fall of the Brown Buffalo. For more info and registration, click here.

Building the HIVESaturday, June 23 at 11:30am - Online

This online webinar will attempt to develop the strategic direction of the Madison Alliance for Black Economic Empowerment (MABEE), an organization providing needs-based resource development for Black Entrepreneurs. For more info, click here.

This play by Black Olive Community Theatre will put James Baldwin’s “Blues For Mister Charlie,” which discusses Medgar Evers, the murder of Emmett Till, and the Civil Rights Movement, on stage. For more info, click here.

Stories within the Letters: An Evening of Celebrating Our LivesFriday, June 29 at 6pm - Madison College (1701 Wright St)

This event will commemorate LGBT Pride Month through the lens of storytelling. For more info, click here.

As we continue to develop our three core areas - Black Needs, Building Analysis, and Advocacy - there is a lot of work we must do on the ground to combat racism and state violence. You can do your part when you show up and show out to the following May events!

2018 Madison College Pow Wow

Saturday, May 5 from 11am-5pm - 1701 Wright St

This Saturday, Madison College will hold a full day Pow Wow event. For more info, click here.

The criminalization of marijuana is one of the leading causes of mass incarceration for people of color in Wisconsin. This Saturday in Milwaukee, join hundreds of people to march for the legalization of cannabis. For more info, click here.

In response to the misogynist presidency of Donald Trump, speaker Nicole Colson will discuss the MeToo movement through the lens of women’s rights and socialism. For more info, click here.

MKE Reads "Color of Law" Launch Party

Wednesday, May 9 from 5-7pm - 3334 N Holton Street in Milwaukee

This book reading will discuss “Color of Law,” a book about redlining and America’s history of racist housing policy. For more info, click here.

Ambition | Black Women's Leadership Accelerator

Friday, May 11 from 7-11am - 1701 Wright St

This experience will help Black women grow and accelerate in their careers. For more info, click here.

Home Is Where The Racism Is

May 16 to 18 - Yatra Studio (646 W Washington Ave)

This gallery show will discuss oppression, racism, and equity through portraits, interviews, and historical material. For more info and tickets, click here.

Madison Region Economic Development & Diversity Summit

Wednesday, May 16 from 8am-4pm - Monona Terrace (1 John Nolen Dr)

This one day summit, hosted by the Urban League of Greater Madison and Madison Region Economic Partnership, will discuss economic development and diversity. For more info, click here.

Promoting Dignity and Equity in the Workplace: A Stop Hate Project Workshop

Wednesday, May 16 and Thursday, May 17 from 9am-3pm - Wisconsin State Capitol (2 E Main St) Room 411

This two day interactive workshop led by Ubuntu will work to apply dignity to professional settings as a way to increase equity and address hate speech. For more info, click here.

From A Different Perspective

Wednesday, May 16 from 6-7:30pm - Threshold (2717 Atwood Ave)

On May 16, Ad 2 Madison will be bringing together a diverse team of Madison community leaders to discuss the pathway to professional success for people from marginalized communities. For more info and tickets, click here.

2018 LGBT Business Equality Summit

Thursday, May 17 from 8-11:45am - ManpowerGroup (100 Manpower Place in Milwaukee)

This event, led by the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, will be a great networking opportunity with remarks from state and national leaders on the LGBT business community. For more info and tickets, click here.

The book “Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists” by Andrea-Teresa Arenas and Eloisa Gómez will be launched at the Wisconsin Historical Society, complete with a book signing. For more info and tickets, click here.

Many find the xenophobic, bigoted actions of the Trump Administration to be discouraging, reasons to give up the fight. But in reality, they should serve the exact opposite purpose - the Administration’s regressive actions should serve as motivation for us to fight oppression!

This month in the Madison area, there are a variety of events related to social justice. Please show up and show out to these events to fight for grassroots change!

This panel discussion will extend the #MeToo movement to integrating women of color into the workplace. This is especially important since, according to a survey, just 3% of C-suite roles are occupied by women of color. For more info, click here.

For the first week of March, Isabelle Ferreras, a professor of sociology from Belgium, will present three lectures on the UW Madison campus on the topics of making workers citizens, corporate despotism, and firms being political entities. For more info, click here.

Circle Up is a new documentary that tackles crime and punishment through a restorative justice lens. On March 10, the movie will be screened and a panel discussion will follow. For more info, click here.

Immigration Works: Series of Information WorkshopsWednesday, March 14 at 5:30pm - South Central Federation of Labor (1602 S Park St.)

This information workshop will discuss the importance of immigration. For more info, click here.

This benefit drag show will help Disability Pride Madison raise money for their annual Disability Pride Festival. For more info, click here.

A Call to Action: Reflections on Our History and Our FutureSunday, March 18 at 3pm - Centro Hispano (810 Badger Rd.)

This event will offer a reflection on Latino immigration from the past to the present, as well as ways to act to help immigrants in the United States. For more info, click here.

Voices from Solitary ConfinementTuesday, March 20 at 6 p.m. - Plymouth Church (2717 E Hampshire St. in Milwaukee)

Although the U.N. has labeled solitary confinement as torture, Wisconsin still puts hundreds of people through solitary confinement, particularly people of color. This event in Milwaukee will allow you to hear stories from people who have dealt with such cruel practices. For more info, click here.

This MMG Law Annual Conference will discuss ways for community service providers and legal professionals to resist injustice, especially against immigrants, in the legal system. For more info and tickets, click here.

Madison March For Our LivesSaturday, March 24 at 10 a.m. - Library Mall (728 State St.)

In solidarity with the national “March For Our Lives” rally, Madison will host a sister rally on March 24 to demand sufficient gun control to reduce the likelihood of shootings like the devastating one in Florida. The march will advocate for stricter gun regulation like a ban of assault weapons and comprehensive universal background checks, which would significantly reduce the likelihood of someone like Nikolas Cruz from getting his hands on an AR-15. For more info and registration, click here.

At the same time in Milwaukee, at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, another sister march will be held. For more info on that event, click here.

The Free the 350 Bail Fund needs all the support it can get. This Saturday, the bail fund will host a local underground hip hop party for people aged 21 and older, with 100% of the proceeds going to the fund. For more information on the event, click here. To donate to the bail fund, click here.

After you’re done with the Hip Hop Benefit Concert, head over to Camp Trippalindee to celebrate Black History Month with drinks. For more info, click here.

Do It Like Durham! Discussion with Takiyah ThompsonSunday, February 4 at 2pm - 2146 E Johnson St

This Sunday, join Takiyah Thompson - one of the first eight activists arrested in the Durham protests last year to remove a Confederate statue - to discuss how to combat white supremacy. For more info, click here.

Every month from February to October, on the second Friday of the month, the Black Women’s Leadership Accelerator will be held, which will help Black women to excel in their professional careers. For more info, click here.

On February 13 at Union South, watch a free screening of “Hidden Figures”, a film about three women of color who worked for NASA, followed by a talkback on the underrepresentation of women of color in STEM fields. For more info, click here.

In Conversation with Lena WaitheTuesday, February 13 at 6:30pm - Union South (1308 W Dayton St)

This event on February 13, led by historian Reggie Jackson, will explain Milwaukee’s long history of racist redlining practices in the first part of a three part series. For more info, click here.

The second part of the series, which will feature a documentary and a lecture from former Milwaukee Urban League President and CEO Ralph Hollman, will be held at the same time and same place exactly one week later.

The Blood is at the DoorstepSunday, February 18 at 7pm - Varsity Theatre (1326 W Wisconsin Ave in Milwaukee)

This event will show a documentary about a family’s fight for justice for Dontre Hamilton, who was shot 14 times by the Milwaukee Police in 2014. A talkback will follow the screening. For more info, click here.

This event in Milwaukee, featuring Reggie Jackson and hosted by the Progressive Baptist Church in Milwaukee, will discuss the effects of segregation as part of the church’s Black history program. For more info, click here.

This three day conference held by the UW Madison Multicultural Student Center will take 60 students and 10 facilitators to the Green Lake Conference Center to discuss identity, allyship, privilege, and leadership. To apply or learn more, click here.

Free Screening of The 13th Hosted by MUMMonday, February 26 at 5pm - Marquee Theater at Union South (1308 W Dayton St)

On February 26 at the Union South, enjoy a screening of “The 13th”, a groundbreaking documentary that covers America’s racist mass incarceration system. For more info and registration, click here.

On the last day of February, join UW Milwaukee to watch the documentary “Whose Streets?”, which provides an account of the uprising in Ferguson told by the people who lived it. For more info, click here.

In order to make any progress, we have to Build our collective understanding and Build collective analysis to advocate for better collaborative solutions.

This Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Trump Administration expanded the racist War on Drugs. The Justice Department accomplished this by allowing prosecutors to enforce federal marijuana criminalization laws in states that have already legalized the drug. This decision is a major blow to the marijuana legalization movement, and will effectively incarcerate even more people of color.

We already have too many cops in Madison, and the MPD is trying to add eight more. On Monday, the Finance Committee will be debating whether or not to hire these eight cops, and we must attend the committee’s meeting to pressure our representatives to stop over-policing our neighborhoods! For more info, click here.

Only two cities have celebrated MLK’s birthday annually since 1984: Atlanta and Milwaukee. Keep Milwaukee’s tradition alive by joining this celebration of his legacy through the mediums of art, speech, and writing. For more info, click here.

Martin Luther King Day Celebration 2018Monday, January 15 at 9am - Milwaukee Public Library (310 W Locust St in Milwaukee)

On MLK Day in Milwaukee, meet at the library for a full day of activities to honor Martin Luther King, including poetry, music, dance, crafts, and games. For more info, click here.

To celebrate MLK day, enjoy a freedom sing-in, award show, and a series of speeches to remember King. Featured speakers include Mayor Soglin and Frank Humphrey, President of the NAACP Wisconsin State Conference. For more info, click here.

Women’s March WI Anniversary Day of ActionSaturday, January 20 at 10am - Milwaukee County Courthouse (901 N 9th St in Milwaukee)

To celebrate the one year anniversary of the original Women’s March, we will march on January 20 in Milwaukee to advocate against Trump’s bigoted agenda. For more info, click here.

This event will bring together three prominent Madison-area writers of color - Fabu, Sherry Lucille, and Catrina Sparkman - to share poetry, prose, and drama that will shed light on what it means to be Black in Wisconsin today. For more info, click here.

MLK Day 2018: Defining Character Through Service and JusticeMonday, January 22 at 3pm - Memorial Union (800 Langdon St)

To honor MLK, a special event will be held on the UW campus that will offer a free dinner, social justice art, student speakers, and conversations on diversity and service. For more info and registration, click here.

Madison Area Business Equality SummitTuesday, January 30 at 1pm - American Family Insurance (6000 American Parkway)

On January 30, American Family Insurance will host a summit to promote business equality for members of the LGBT community and give participants a chance to network and discuss issues of LGBT economic empowerment. For more info, click here.

This Saturday, a Madison365-led panel discussion and Q&A will be held to discuss issues facing communities of color over the past year, and what solutions we should consider. For more info, click here.

Liberation Publication - Public Meeting

Tuesday, December 5, at 5pm - Michelangelo’s Coffee House (114 State St)

Liberation is a grassroots feminist newspaper based in Madison. Come learn about Liberation’s goals and hear its most recent updates at Michelangelo’s next Tuesday! To learn more, click here.

Undocumented In Dane County

Tuesday, December 5, at 6pm - Temple Beth El (2702 Arbor Dr)

Join Fabiola Hamdan, a bilingual social worker, to learn about the day-to-day struggles that undocumented immigrants experience in Dane County. The event comes with a dinner. To buy tickets and learn more, please click here.

Ad Hoc Committee Meeting

Wednesday, December 6, at 5pm - 545 W Dayton St

We know that putting police in schools won’t solve our community problems and will instead enforce the school-to-prison pipeline. This Wednesday, meet with Freedom Inc. to speak out against police in schools at an Ad Hoc committee meeting. For more info, click here.

Next Saturday, Groundwork will conduct a powerful training about intersectionality and white privilege, allowing participants to understand systemic racism and enhance their allyship for people of color. Get tickets and learn more about the event by clicking here.

Heather Bruegl Lecture on Native American History in Wisconsin

Saturday, December 9, at 2pm - Civil War Museum (5400 1st Ave in South Kenosha)

Next Saturday in South Kenosha, historian Heather Bruegl will present a lecture on Native American history, past and present, in Wisconsin. To learn more, click here.

On August 5, 2012 in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, a white supremacist killed six people at a Sikh temple in a disgusting act of hatred and bigotry. On December 10 at Monona Terrace, there will be a free public event to reflect on the incident. Please RSVP on Facebook by clicking here.

On December 16, three African American writers from Wisconsin - Fabu, Sherry Lucile, and Catrina Sparkman - will discuss poetry and prose in a way that sheds light on what it means to be African American in Wisconsin today. For more info, click here.

As the new jail plan progresses and Trump continues to advance a racist agenda, we must do everything we can at a local level to fight racial injustice and state violence. One way to keep the movement alive is to attend the events below:

Free the 350 Bail Fund Panel Discussion

Tuesday, November 7, 6pm - UW Law School (975 Bascom Mall) Room 2260

On Tuesday, November 7, the Free the 350 Bail Fund will hold a panel discussion to hear from local Madison activists and UW Law Professor Michele LaVigne about their perspectives on the Free the 350 Bail Fund and the constitutionality of cash bail. Light refreshments will be provided. To donate to the bail fund, please click here.

On November 8, the Personnel and Finance Committee will hold a meeting on the upcoming budget, which includes the jail proposal. This will be our last opportunity to give public testimony at such a meeting, so be sure to show up and show out to advocate against the new jail and in favor of rehabilitative alternatives.

More events

How Can Madison Build More Great Neighborhoods?

Tuesday, November 7, 6pm - High Noon Saloon (701 E Washington Ave)

As Madison continues to grow, we must rethink how we design our neighborhoods. Next Tuesday at the High Noon Saloon, we will brainstorm how to create thriving communities with crucial amenities like grocery stores, led by a local panel of experts. This will be a free event, followed by a discussion session. For more info, click here.

Fight to Win: Shrinking Prisons / Strengthening Communities

Saturday, November 11, 12pm - Trinity United Church of Christ (400 W 95th St in Chicago)

On November 11 in Chicago, the “Fight to Win” event will be held. Here, there will be a discussion on organizing strategies for leading successful campaigns against jail construction, money bail, and our racist incarceration system. For more info, click here.

YGB’s first rally in 2014 led right into the City County Building, chanting, “Build the People, NOT the jail!” The new Dane County Jail is set to cost $76 million over the course of 20 years - a whopping $504 per Madison household. On Wednesday, we’ll gather to discuss better ways to spend the $76 million that don’t involve locking people of color in a cage. For more info, click here.

Near Marshfield, Wisconsin, Enbridge is looking to push an oil pipeline through the heart of Wisconsin, threatening our beautiful rivers, our climate, and our communities. On October 27, we will come together to learn from those who would be threatened by the new pipeline, and examine the pipeline fights of the past to prepare for our resistance to Enbridge. For info and registration, please click here.

This Tuesday, “Tu Voz”, a Latinx/Chicanx support and discussion group will meet to discuss the intersectionality between race, gender, sexuality, and other factors. For more info, please click here.

Women and the Construction of Peace In ColombiaTuesday, October 3 at 6:30pm - Predolin Hall 115 (at Edgewood College)

On October 3, come to experience a presentation and participatory workshop with Carol Rojas, an educator working with the Feminist Antimilitarist Network. Carol will demonstrate for us the importance of “antimilitarist working class feminism and the commitment towards the democratization of the Colombian state” at this event.

This Tuesday, IMT (International Marxist Tendency) Madison will hold a discussion on the IMT approach to fighting fascism and oppression, from the attacks in Charlottesville to swastikas in James Madison Park. For more info, please click here.

Safe and Thriving Community - Public MeetingThursday, October 5, at 6:30pm - Warner Park Community Center (1625 Northport Dr)

At this event, meet the Northside’s Neighborhood Navigators and learn about their efforts to engage the community and stop youth violence. For more info, click here.

This week in Madison, singer-songwriter Ritt Deitz will perform a concert with a suggested $20 donation to support the Mercy Corps Syria Crisis Response program, which is providing vital necessities like food, water, and clothing for Syrian refugees. For more info, click here.

Join historian and author Nancy MacLean as she talks about her new book, Democracy In Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America, which details the anti-democracy and anti-government politics that have plagued the modern American political system. For more info, please click here.

Join the Madison IWW Defense Committee on October 7 to organize for community self-defense efforts in our neighborhoods. The event will serve food, include a yard sale, and host a variety of DJs and musical guests. Half of the proceeds will go to the Free the 350 Bail Fund. For more information, please click here.

Please join the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice (WNPJ) on October 21 for a community energizer to build community and meet other activists and organizations from around the area. The event will feature dancing, DJs, food, poetry, awards, and great networking opportunities. To buy tickets, click here.

YGB needs your voice in order to get an investigation by the United Nations as we elevate the conversation of of racial disparities in Madison and fight for justice for Tony Robinson, the unarmed black teen murdered at the hands of officer Matt Kenny of the Madison Police Department

ABOUT US

The Young Gifted and Black Coalition is a circle of young leaders determined to end state violence and raise the voice of communities of color. We are young Black Women, Queer Folks, Straight Folks and Feminist Men who are fighting for Black Liberation. Our focus is on the low income black communities that our core members call home.